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The position of Concierge has had many names throughout time and cultures, from doorkeeper to porter, or portero in Spanish-speaking regions, and Suisse in Paris. The primary job of today’s Concierge is to be a liaison for the guest in helping to acquire theatre tickets, tours, dining reservations, and so much more. Midwest Meetings spoke to a few Midwest Concierges to understand how you are able to utilize their services in the most beneficial ways.

“I’ve been at Radisson Blu Minneapolis Downtown for just over a year,” explained Dan Lundin, Director of Guest Services. “I’ve been in the industry for six years and have handled just about every guest service role there is during that time. The thing I love the most about guest service, and specifically concierge work, is that it’s your job to make someone’s day – you quite literally have no other expectation.” That is a pretty powerful (and liberating) duty.

Lundin added, “If you work in a city you love and are familiar with, it’s a thrill to be able to introduce out-of-towners to the local nooks and crannies you can’t find on Yelp or Google, and get that positive response when they come back from a restaurant or attraction you recommended to them.”

Photo Credit: National World War I Museum and Memorial theworldwar.org/explore/online-collections-database

The National World War I Museum and Memorial will host America’s national ceremony commemorating the centennial of the United States’ entry into the Great War as announced by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission.

The national ceremony, "In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace: Centennial Commemoration of the U.S. Entry in WorldWar I,"will be held on April 6, 2017 will be held at the Museum. Invited attendees include the President of the United States; Congressional leadership; Cabinet members; State governors;U.S. military leaders; veteran organizations; representatives from U.S. military legacy units that trace their history back to World War I; descendants of significant American WWI figures; and other organizations, dignitaries, and VIPs. International invitees include the Heads of State of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom, and all other nations whose people were involved in the Great War.

Designated by the U.S. Congress in 2004 as the official museum dedicated to WWI and in 2014 as America’s National World War I Museum and Memorial, the Museum is uniquely positioned to host the official Commission event.

"It’s a fitting tribute to those who served in the Great War that we commemorate the entry of the United States into World War I in the very same place where millions of visitors from across the world have paid tribute for nearly a century," said National World War I Museum and Memorial President and CEO and World War l Commissioner Dr. Matthew Naylor. "The National World War I Museum and Memorial is committed to remembering, understanding and interpreting the Great War and its enduring impact and this event underscores how this calamitous conflict continues to significantly affect everyone to this day."

Missouri is one of those rare states that shines brightly once you’ve experienced it. To some, Missouri is commonly associated to the name of a river but St. Louis, Springfield, Branson, and Kansas City are a few shining stars in this state’s tapestry. Much like the US itself, Missouri is as great as the sum of its parts because of its diversity among those areas. They have KC barbecue, Branson entertainment, and the only arch more important than those golden ones; let’s take a look at the limbs of what makes up The Show Me State.

The Rome of the West, St. Louis is renowned for many wonderful things: the St. Louis Symphony, Route 66 restaurant, Gateway Arch, and a multitude of professional sports teams.